U.S. patent application number 12/445624 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-30 for system and method of preventing spam by using pay-charge-contribution and authentication means.
Invention is credited to Kamfu Wong.
Application Number | 20100250947 12/445624 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39313589 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100250947 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wong; Kamfu |
September 30, 2010 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PREVENTING SPAM BY USING
PAY-CHARGE-CONTRIBUTION AND AUTHENTICATION MEANS
Abstract
A system for preventing junk mails includes a sender email
server (2-1), a recipient email server (2-2), a user terminal (3)
for communicating email (4) through the sender email server (2-1)
and the recipient email server 2-2, an internet communication
network (6) for forwarding the email (4), and a digital certificate
(5) for each of the sender email server (2-1) and the recipient
email server (2-2) including a private key and a public key
configured to encrypt and decrypt the email (4) with authentication
in order to identify email (4) that is junk.
Inventors: |
Wong; Kamfu; (Hong Kong,
CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARLSON, GASKEY & OLDS, P.C.
400 WEST MAPLE ROAD, SUITE 350
BIRMINGHAM
MI
48009
US
|
Family ID: |
39313589 |
Appl. No.: |
12/445624 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
October 18, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CN06/02745 |
371 Date: |
May 18, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
713/175 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 63/0823 20130101;
H04L 63/0442 20130101; H04L 51/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
713/175 |
International
Class: |
H04L 9/32 20060101
H04L009/32 |
Claims
1. A system for preventing junk mails comprising a sender email
server (2-1); a recipient email server (2-2); a user terminal (3)
for communicating email (4) through the sender email server (2-1)
and the recipient email server 2-2; an internet communication
network (6) for forwarding the email (4); and a digital certificate
(5) for each of the sender email server (2-1) and the recipient
email server (2-2) including a private key and a public key for
configured to encrypt and decrypt the email (4) with authentication
in order to identify email (4) that is junk.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an email
authentication exchange center (1) configured with the digital
certificate.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein: the email authentication
exchange center (1) is an email server configured with account
management and authentication programs, and stores the public key
for the digital certificate (5-2) of the sender email server (2-1)
and the private key for its own digital certificate (5-1), the
email authentication exchange center (1) is configured to decrypt
the email (4) forwarded from the sender email server (2-1) with the
public key for the digital certificate (5-2) of the sender email
server (2), then encrypt the email (4) with the private key for the
digital certificate (5-1) of its own, and then forward the
encrypted email (4) to the recipient email server (2-2); the
recipient email server (2-2) is an email server configured with the
digital certificate (5-2), and stores the private key for its own
digital certificate (5-2) and the public key for the digital
certificate (5-1) of the email authentication exchange center (1);
the recipient email server (2-2) is in charge of encrypting the
email (4) sent from the user terminal (3) with the private key for
its own digital certificate (5-2), forwarding the encrypted email
(4) to the email authentication exchange center (1), and decrypting
the encrypted email (4) forwarded from the email authentication
exchange center (1) with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-1) of the email authentication exchange center (1), and then
storing the email (4), which is successfully decrypted, into the
user's email box, while the user may check the email (4) with the
user terminal (3); and the user terminal (3) is a terminal for the
user to receive and send emails (4) and is selected from a group
consisting of a computer, a PDA, and a cellular phone that is
connected to the sender email server (2-1) and the recipient email
server (2-2) via the internet communication network (6), and the
user terminal (3) is configured with a program for receiving and
sending emails by the user logging onto the sender email server
(2-1) or the recipient email server (2-2) via the internet
communication network (6), then checking or downloading the emails
(4) in the user's email box through the program for receiving and
sending emails, and sending an email (4).
4. A method for use in a system for preventing junk mails, the
system including a sender email server (2-1), a recipient email
server (2-2), a user terminal (3) for communicating email (4)
through the sender email server (2-1) and the recipient email
server 2-2, an internet communication network (6) for forwarding
the email (4), and a digital certificate (5) for each of the sender
email server (2-1) and the recipient email server (2-2) including a
private key and a public key configured to encrypt and decrypt the
email (4) with authentication in order to identify email (4) that
is junk, the method comprising: using the digital certificate (5)
to encrypt and decrypt the email (4) with authentication in order
to identify email (4) that is junk.
5. The method of claim 4, further including using an exchange
center (1) to authenticate received email (4) that is forwarded
from the sender email server (2-1) with the digital certificate
(5-2) of the recipient email server (2-2), and using the recipient
email server (2-2) to authenticate the received email (4) that is
forwarded from the exchange center (1) with the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1).
6. The method of claim 5, further including: arranging the exchange
center (1) with of the sender email server (2-1) and the recipient
email server (2-2), wherein the sender email server (2-1) and the
recipient email server (2-2) are each configured with a program for
processing encryption and decryption, the exchange center (1)
applies for the digital certificate (5-1) from a digital
certificate authentication center, and the respective recipient
email server (2-2) also applies for a digital certificate (5-2)
from the digital certificate authentication center, the respective
email server (2) registers and stores at the exchange center (1)
the public key of its own digital certificate (5-2) and a network
domain name, the exchange center (1) also establishes a blacklist
for any sender email server (2-1) that sends junk mails, and the
exchange center (1) disposes of any emails (4) sent from any sender
email server (2-1) on the blacklist; when a user sending an email
(4) via the sender email server (2-1), the sender email server
(2-1) encrypts the email (4) sent by the user with the private key
of its own digital certificate (5-2), then forwards the encrypted
email to the exchange center (1), which decrypts the encrypted
email with the public key of the digital certificate of the
recipient email server (2-2), determines that the email is sent
from the sender email server (2-1) if the decryption is successful,
and after verifying that the sender email server (2-1) is not
listed on the blacklist, the exchange center (1) encrypts the email
(4) with the private key for its own digital certificate (5-1),
then forwards the encrypted email to the recipient email server
(2-2), which decrypts the received email with the public key for
the digital certificate (5-1) of the exchange center (1) and
determines that the email is forwarded from the exchange center (1)
if the decryption is successful, and then stores the decrypted
email (4) into the recipient's email box; when receiving an email
sent without being encrypted or an email sent from any sender email
server (2-1) listed on the blacklist, the exchange center (1)
disposes the email, revokes an account of any sender email server
(2-1) that is subject to complaints about junk email and adds to
the blacklist the name of the sender email sever (2-1) to prevent
any future emails from being forwarded from the blacklisted sender
email server (2-1); and when the recipient email server (2-2)
receives any email that is not forwarded from the exchange center
(1) and is not encrypted with the digital certificate (5-1) of the
exchange center (1), the recipient email server (2-2) stores that
mail in a junk mail box.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sender sends and receives
emails (4) with the user terminal (3) through the sender email
server (2-1) of a first service provider, and the recipient
receives and sends emails (4) with another user terminal (3)
through the recipient email server (2-2) of a second service
provider, and A1. when the sender sends an email (4) to the
recipient, the email (4) is forwarded to the sender email server
(2-1) via the user terminal (3); A2. the sender email server (2-1)
encrypts this email (4) with the private key for its own digital
certificate (5-2), then forwards the encrypted email to the
exchange center (1); A3. the exchange center (1) decrypts the
received encrypted email with the public key for the digital
certificate (5-2) of the sender email server (2-1), determines that
the email is forwarded from the sender email server (2-1) if the
decryption is successful, then encrypts this email (4) with the
private key for its own digital certificate (5-1), and then
forwards the encrypted email to the recipient email server (2-2);
A4. the recipient email server (2-2) decrypts the received
encrypted email with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1), determines that the email is
forwarded from the exchange center (1) if the decryption is
successful, and then stores the decrypted email (4) into the
recipient's email box.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sender is in a first company
and the recipient is in a second company, and the first company
applies in advance for the digital certificate (5-3), then
registers and stores at the exchange center (1) the public key for
this digital certificate (5-3), and then stores the private key for
the digital certificate (5-3) within the sender email server (2-1),
and the second company also applies in advance for the digital
certificate (5-3), then registers and stores at the exchange center
(1) the public key for its digital certificate (5-3), and then
stores the private key for the digital certificate (5-3) at the
recipient email server (2-2).
9. (canceled)
10. The method of claim 8, further including step B5 wherein the
sender pays a certain sum of money to the recipient for every email
(4) sent to the recipient, and the exchange center (1) deducts the
money from the first company on a monthly settlement basis, and
deposits the money, after deducting a service charge, into a bank
account of the second company.
11. The method of claim 6, further including a payment gateway (7)
and the charge is settled via a bank account computer system (8),
the exchange center (1) pays or deposits the money with transfers
between the bank accounts of the first and second companies via the
payment gateway (7), and the exchange center (1) deducts the
service charge either at certain rate or of fixed amount from the
money charged for sending and receiving emails (4), and the
exchange center (1) records a count of debt to the first company
for sending any email and records income to the second company for
receiving any email, and, during the settlement, the exchange
center (1) calculates the money to be paid or the money to be
received by the sender email server (2-1) and the recipient email
server (2-2) with the service charge deducted, then charges or
deposits the money via transfer between the bank accounts of the
first and second companies through the payment gateway (7) and the
bank account computer system (8).
12. The method of claim 6, further including settling any charges
using the bank account computer system (8) and an email charge
inquiry website (9) for providing information related to any
charges to email addresses of the sender email server (2-1), and
the charges for any of the email address can be found through
logging onto the email charge inquiry website and inputting the
email address to be inquired, and any users are classified into two
groups, where one group is designated as common email users, to
whom the emails can be sent with a payment of a fixed charge, and
the other group is designated as email users with a self-defined
donation charge, wherein if a person wants to send emails (4) to
the email boxes of the latter group, the person must pay the fixed
charge and the self-defined donation charge, the email server (2)
also stores the email address of the any user with the self-defined
donation charge and the amount of money for of the donation charge
into the email charge inquiry website (9), and owners of the email
address can change the amount of money for the self-defined
donation charge at will through the email charge inquiry website,
and E1. before sending an email (4) to the recipient, the sender
logs onto the email charge inquiry website (9) and inputs the
recipient's email address, then the sender determines the amount of
money for the self-defined donation charge set by the recipient;
E2. if the sender accepts the self-defined donation charge, the
sender forwards the email (4) to the sending server (2-1) via the
user terminal (3); E3. the sending server (2-1) encrypts the email
(4) with the private key for its own digital certificate (5-2),
then forwards the encrypted email (4) to the exchange center (1)
and records this count of debt in a sender's account book; E4. the
exchange center (1) decrypts the received email (4) with the public
key for the digital certificates (5-2) of the sending server (2-1),
determines that the email is forwarded from the sending server
(2-1) if the decryption is successful, records this count of debt
into an account book of the sending server (2-1), then encrypts
this email (4) with the private key for its own digital certificate
(5-1), and then records this count of income into the account book
of the receiving server (2-2); E5. the receiving server (2-2)
decrypts the received encrypted email with the public key for the
digital certificate (5-1) of the exchange center (1), determines
that the email is forwarded from the exchange center (1) if the
decryption is successful, then records this count of income into
the recipient's account book; the receiving server (2-2) verifies
whether the recipient's email address is classified as one of the
common email addresses or one one of the email addresses with the
self-defined donation charge, if this recipient is a one of the
common email addresses, the receiving server (2-2) stores the
decrypted email (4) into the recipient's email box, ignores steps
E6-E14, and skips to step E15, if the recipient has one of the
email addresses with the self-defined donation charge, then the
receiving server (2-2) temporarily stores the email (4) and
proceeds to step E6; E6. the receiving server (2-2) sends to the
exchange center (1) a request to pay the self-defined donation
charge, wherein the request includes the email sender's email
address, the recipient's email address, title, date and time of
that email; E7; after receiving the request to pay the self-defined
donation charge, the exchange center (1) searches out the
recipient's email address from the request, then verifies the
amount of money for the donation charged for the email address on
the email inquiry charge website (9); E8. the email inquiry charge
website (9) verifies the request from the records in memory, then
forwards to the exchange center (1) information about the amount of
money for the self-defined donation; E9. the exchange center (1)
stores temporarily the information about the amount of money for
the donation charge, replies to the sender with a reply email
encrypted with the private key for its own digital certificate
(5-1) that informs the sender the self-donation charge and a
donation reference code and to remind the sender to pay the
self-donation charge on-line via logging onto the website of the
exchange center (1) within a designated time limit, wherein the
donation reference code is a number for distinguishing different
emails (4) when receiving the donation; E10. the sender email
server (2-1) decrypts the reply email with the public key for the
digital key (5-1) of the exchange center (1), determines that the
reply email is sent from the exchange center (1) if the decryption
is successful, and stores the reply email into the sender's email
box; E11. when checking the sender's email box, the sender reads
the content of the reply email, if the sender agrees to pay the
self-donation, the sender, within the designated time limit, logs
onto the website of the exchange center (1), and inputs the
sender's email address and the payment reference code, the sender
finds out on the website of the exchange center (1) the recipient's
email address for the email (4) sent to the sending server (2-1)
described in preceding step E2 and pays the self-defined donation
charge; E12. the exchange center (1) forwards through the payment
gateway (7) the payment information and the total amount of money
to the bank account computer system (8) and requests for transfer
of the money; E13. the bank account computer system (8) verifies
the payment information and account balance and, if all information
is valid, then transfers the money from the user's account provided
in the payment information to the bank account of the exchange
center (1), and then informs the exchange center (1) that the
transfer is successful; E14. the exchange center (1) forwards to
the recipient email server (2-2) the received information about
successful transfer for the payment, then the recipient email
server (2-2) stores the decrypted email (4), which has been
temporarily stored at step E5, into the recipient's email box for
the recipient to check; E15. during the settlement, the exchange
center (1), based on record of receiving and sending emails at
fixed charge for the respective email server (2), calculates the
money to be paid or the money to be received by the sender email
server (2-1) and the recipient email server (2-2) with deduction of
the service charge from the respective account, then charges or
deposits the money with transfer between the bank accounts of the
sender email server (2-1) and the recipient email server (2-2)
through the payment gateway (7) and the bank account computer
system (8).
13. The method of claim 4, further comprising for establishing a
website for a fee-charged email server (22) and assigning
celebrities email boxes and email addresses which are open to the
public such that those who want to send emails (4) to the
celebrities firstly have to log onto the website of the fee-charged
email server (22) and pay a certain fee, wherein: F1. before
sending any email (4) to one of the celebrities, the sender firstly
has to open an account at the website of the fee-charged email
server (22) and buy points at that website; F2. the fee-charged
email server (22) forwards to a bank card center (88) the sender's
credit card number and an amount of money to be transferred for the
payment; F3. after checking that the payment information and an
account balance are valid, the bank card center (88) transfers
money from the sender's credit card to an account of the
fee-charged email server (22), and informs the fee-charged email
server (22) that the transfer is successful; F4. the fee-charged
email server (22) informs the sender that application for an
account is accept, and the money for buying points has been charged
from the sender's credit card; F5. the sender searches for one of
the celebrity's email address from the website of the fee-charged
email server (22) and checks the fee in points for an authorization
code needed to send email (4) to this celebrity, the sender buys
the authorization code with the points that the sender has bought;
F6. after checking that the sender's account has enough points, the
fee-charged email server (22) deducts the points needed for the
authorization code from the sender's account, then forwards the
sender a random authorization code which is unique, the sender
writes this authorization code into the title of the email (4)
within a designated time limit, then sends the email (4) to the
selected celebrity's email address at the fee-charged email server
(22); F7. after receiving the email (4), the fee-charged email
server (22) compares the authorization code within the title of the
email (4) with the authorization code issued in step F6, if the two
codes match, the fee-charged email server (22) stores the email (4)
into the email box of the selected celebrity, and then deletes
records of this authorization code, if there the authorization code
is absent from the title of the email received by the fee-charged
email server (22), the fee-charged email server (22) disposes this
email and informs the sender that the sender must buy the
authorization code for that celebrity; F8. the selected celebrity
logs on the charged email server (22) to check the email (4); and
F9. the fee-charged email server (22) forwards the email (4) sent
from the sender to the celebrity to check.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the National Stage application of PCT
Application No. PCT/CN2006/002745 filed Oct. 18, 2006.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This disclosure relates to internet communications and, in
particular, to systems and methods concerning email communication
technology over the internet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] With the proliferation of the internet, more and more people
use electronic mail, which is also referred to as email or simply
mail in short. Email has become an indispensable tool for business
correspondence. In many cases, email is a replacement for facsimile
because of faster speed, lower communication cost, and no charge
for long distance calling. Because email is often free, some people
collect a large number of email addresses of other people and then
spam these email addresses with business advertisements, personal
advertisements, or even adult information without the recipient's
permission. From the standpoint of the email recipients, these
emails are usually from strangers and the contents are usually
useless advertisements. The email are commonly referred to as junk
mails and are often deleted without reading. The number of junk
mails is continually increasing and even outnumbers normal, useful
emails. Some junk mails even carry computer virus that, once
opened, infect the user's computer.
[0004] The main effect of junk mail is a loss in productivity. The
email user has to spend a substantial amount of time to delete
these junk mails. Junk email also wastes network bandwidth and
server memory capacity. Furthermore, when deleting these junk
emails, the user may accidentally delete important emails in haste,
which severely affects the daily communication among people. Thus,
prevention of junk email and reduction in the effects are urgent
issues.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an
email system and relevant method for preventing junk mails.
[0006] An exemplary system for preventing junk mails includes a
sender email server (2-1), a recipient email server (2-2), a user
terminal (3) for communicating email (4) through the sender email
server (2-1) and the recipient email server 2-2, an internet
communication network (6) for forwarding the email (4), and a
digital certificate (5) for each of the sender email server (2-1)
and the recipient email server (2-2) including a private key and a
public key configured to encrypt and decrypt the email (4) with
authentication in order to identify email (4) that is junk.
BRIEF OF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates and email authentication system;
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram showing email (4) communication
through an email server (2) and an email authentication exchange
center (1);
[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram showing email (4) communication
between companies;
[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram showing another embodiment of
an email authentication system;
[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram showing the steps of an
embodiment employing a charge mechanism;
[0012] FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram showing another embodiment
employing a charge mechanism;
[0013] FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram showing another embodiment
employing a charge inquiry website (9);
[0014] FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram showing another embodiment
employing a charge mechanism for emailing celebrities.
[0015] The signs in the Figures represent the same or corresponding
system, device, or component part, wherein the email authentication
exchange center (1) is abbreviated to exchange center (1), the
email servers (2) comprise sending server (2-1) and receiving
server (2-2), the digital certificates (5) comprise digital
certificate (5-1) of the exchange center (1), the digital
certificates (5-2) of the email servers (4) and the digital
certificate (5-3) of a certain company, as well as the user
terminal (3), email (4), interne (6), payment gateway (7), a bank
account computer system (8), charge inquiry website (9), bank card
center (88), fee-charged email server (22).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram that structurally illustrates a system
and method for preventing junk email using charge-payment-donation
and authentication.
[0017] The system includes an email authentication exchange center
(1). The exchange center (1) is an email server having relevant
account management and authentication programs. The exchange center
(1) also stores a public key for a digital certificate (5-2) of a
respective email server (2) and a private key for its own digital
certificate (5-1). The exchange center (1) decrypts encrypted email
forwarded from the email server (2) with the public key for the
digital certificate (5-2) corresponding to the email server (2) and
then encrypts the email (4), which has already been successfully
decrypted, with the private key for its own digital certificate
(5-1). The exchange center (1) then forwards the email (4) to the
recipient's email server (2).
[0018] The email server (2) includes relevant programs for
processing encryption and decryption and stores the private key for
its own digital certificate (5-2) and the public key for the
digital certificate (5-1) of the exchange center (1). When an email
(4) sent by a user is forwarded to the email server (2), the email
server (2) encrypts the email (4) sent by the user with the private
key for it's own digital certificate (5-2) and then forwards the
email (4) to the exchange center (1). When an email is forwarded
from the exchange center (1), the email server (2) decrypts the
email with the public key for the digital certificate (5-1) of the
exchange center (1) and then stores the email (4), which is
successfully decrypted, into the recipient's email box, where the
recipient may check the email (4) via the internet.
[0019] A user terminal (3) in the system may include a computer, a
PDA, a cellular phone or the like that is able to access the
internet and is set up with a program for receiving and sending
emails. The user accesses the internet and logs onto the email
server (2) using the user terminal (3). The user then checks or
downloads the emails (4) in his/her own email box through the
program for receiving and sending emails, and sends emails (4)
through the email server (2).
[0020] The email (4) represents a correspondence that is sent and
received through an electronic communication system and includes
email (4) conveyed via internet (6) or email (4) conveyed via other
communication electronic networks. Thus, the electronic mail (4)
may be abbreviated to email (4) or mail (4) in this disclosure.
[0021] The internet (6) may be a communication network, such as a
wide area internet network or local network and computer network.
The internet (6) is used to forward emails (4) in this
disclosure.
[0022] The digital certificates (5) include the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1) and the digital certificates (5-2)
of the email servers (2), where the digital certificates (5)
utilize the public key and private key in PKI technology (Public
Key Infrastructure) to encrypt and decrypt emails. PKI technology
is known and includes encrypting sent information with a private
key of the digital certificate (5). The encrypted information
cannot be decrypted without the public key of the very digital
certificate (5). In this manner, the authenticity of the
information and the identity of the information sender can be
ensured.
[0023] The exchange center (1) authenticates that the received
email is forwarded from the email server (2) with the digital
certificate (5-2) of the email server (2), and the email server (2)
authenticates that the received email is forwarded from the
exchange center (1) with the digital certificate (5-1) of the
exchange center (1).
[0024] The set-up of the system will now be described.
The exchange center (1) is arranged with a plurality of email
servers (2). The email servers (2) may be created by adding
relevant program processing encryption and decryption to
traditional email servers. The exchange center (1) applies for a
digital certificate (5-1) from a relevant digital certificate
authentication center, and the respective email server (2) also
applies for a digital certificate (5-2) from a relevant digital
certificate authentication center. The respective email server (2)
also registers and stores the public key of its own digital
certificate (5-2) and information such as its network domain name
in the exchange center (1). The exchange center (1) establishes a
blacklist for any email servers that send junk mails, and thus the
exchange center (1) does not forward emails (4) sent from any
blacklisted email servers (2).
[0025] When the user sends an email (4) via the email server (2),
the email server (2) encrypts the email (4) sent by the user with
the private key of its own digital certificate (5-2), then forwards
the encrypted email to the exchange center (1), which decrypts the
encrypted email with the public key of the digital certificate
(5-2) of the email server (2). The exchange center (1) determines
that the email is forwarded from the email server (2) if the
decryption is successful. After verifying the email server (2) is
not a server listed on the blacklist for junk mail servers, the
exchange center (1) encrypts the email (4) with the private key for
its own digital certificate (5-1) and then forwards the encrypted
email to the recipient's email server (2), which decrypts the
received email with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1). The recipient's email server (2)
determines that the email is forwarded from the exchange center (1)
if the decryption is successful and then stores the decrypted email
(4) into the recipient's email box.
[0026] The exchange center (1) disposes of any forwarded email that
is not encrypted with a digital certificate (5-2) or a forwarded
email from an email server listed on the blacklist for junk mail
servers. That is, the exchange center (1) only deals with the
emails (4) sent from the email servers (2) which have already
registered their digital certificates. In some cases, even an email
server (2) that has not been blacklisted may be blacklisted if some
people complain that this email server spams a large amount of junk
mails (and the complaint is checked to be true). In this case,
information such as the name of the email sever may be added to the
blacklist. As a result, the added blacklisted email server (2)
cannot forward emails (4) through the exchange center (1) any
more.
[0027] When the email server (2) receives an email that is not
forwarded from the exchange center (1), such as an email that is
not encrypted with the digital certificate (5-1) of the exchange
center (1), the email server (2) promptly stores the mail into
another email box, such as a junk mail box. The user may choose to
check these junk emails.
[0028] When most or all email servers (2) register at the exchange
center (1) and use the digital certificates (5) to authenticate
their identities, all normal emails (4) are forwarded to the
recipient's email servers (2) through the exchange center (1),
while the junk mails are forwarded directly to the junk mail box
within the recipient's email server (2). Since the normal emails
(4) are stored within the recipient's email box, it is not
necessary for the recipients to spend time to check their junk mail
boxes which contain a large amount of junk mails. Furthermore, the
email server (2) is also able to revoke the user's junk mail box.
That is, any email not forwarded through the exchange center (1)
would be disposed directly, and thereby save memory capacity.
[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of the steps executed by the
email server (2) in forwarding email through the exchange center
(1). In this example, a sender sends an email (4) to a recipient
through the email server (2) of the C service provider (i.e., ISP).
The recipient receives the email (4) through the email server (2)
of the D service provider. The email server (2) for the sender
sending email (4), namely the email server (2) of the C service
provider (i.e. ISP), is abbreviated as sending server (2-1), and
the email server (2) of the recipient receiving email (4), namely
the email server of D service provider (i.e. ISP), is abbreviated
as receiving server (2-2).
[0030] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, includes the steps
of:
[0031] A1. When a sender sends an email (4) to the recipient, the
email (4) is forwarded to the sending server (2-1) via a user
terminal (3);
[0032] A2. the sending server (2-1) encrypts this email (4) with
the private key for its own digital certificate (5-2), then
forwards the encrypted email to the exchange center (1);
[0033] A3. the exchange center (1) decrypts the received encrypted
email with the public key for the digital certificate (5-2) of the
sending server (2-1), determines that the email is forwarded from
the sending server (2-1) if the decryption is successful, then
promptly encrypts this email (4) with the private key for its own
digital certificate (5-1), and then forwards the encrypted email to
the receiving server (2-2);
[0034] A4. the receiving server (2-2) decrypts the received
encrypted email with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1), determines that the email is
forwarded from the exchange center (1) if the decryption is
successful, and then promptly stores the decrypted email (4) into
the recipient's email box, where the recipient may read the email
(4) via internet.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram of an application of the system
and method described above. in which the email (4) communication is
between companies. In this example, a sender in company A sends
emails (4) to a recipient in company B. Company A has to apply in
advance for a digital certificate (5-3) according to a
predetermined system program, then registers and stores at the
exchange center (1) the public key for this digital certificate
(5-3), and then stores the private key for the digital certificate
(5-3) within the sending server (2-1). Similarly, company B also
has to apply in advance for its own digital certificate (5-3), then
registers and stores at the exchange center (1) the public key for
its digital certificate (5-3), and then stores the private key for
the digital certificate (5-3) at the receiving server (2-2).
[0036] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 includes the following
steps:
[0037] B1. When a sender in company A sends an email (4) to the
recipient in company B, the email (4) is forwarded to the sending
server (2-1) via a user terminal (3);
[0038] B2. the sending server (2-1) encrypts the email (4) with the
private key for the digital certificate of company A, then forwards
the encrypted email to the exchange center (1);
[0039] B3. the exchange center (1) decrypts the received encrypted
email with the public key for the digital certificate (5-3) of
company A, determines that the email is sent from company A if the
decryption is successful, then promptly encrypts this email (4)
with the private key for the digital certificate (5-1) of its own,
and then forwards the same to the receiving server (2-2);
[0040] B4. the receiving server (2-2) decrypts the received
encrypted email with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1), determines that the email is
forwarded from the exchange center (1) if the decryption is
successful, and then promptly stores the decrypted email (4) into
the email box of the recipient in company B, where the recipient
may check the email via internet.
[0041] In this embodiment, the digital certificate (5-3) of company
A is applied to substitute for the digital certificate (5-2) of
sending server (2-1). That is, if company A spams a large amount of
junk mails, the exchange center (1) would blacklist company A. As a
result, company A, if blacklisted, would not be able to send emails
(4) through the exchange center (1) any more. In this manner, even
if some people establish a shell company so as to apply a digital
certificate (5-3) for company to send junk mails, the exchange
center (1) is also able to eradicate such activities with
administrative measures. For example, a service fee or deposit may
be charged to for applying the digital certificate (5-3) or to
register with the exchange center (1). If a company is blacklisted
after spamming a large amount of junk mail, its deposit may be
surrendered. In this way, the junk mails will be largely reduced
since the cost for sending junk mails is increased.
[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates a diagram of another application of the
system and method described above. This embodiment is a simplified
version of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. In this example,
there is no exchange center (1), and thus the email servers (2) of
each respective company authenticate each other directly. Each
email server (2) has to register in advance the names of email
servers (2) of other companies with which receive emails (4). The
email server (2) stores the public keys for the digital
certificates (5-3) for the email servers (2) of these companies.
When the email server (2) of a company receives an email from those
registered email servers (2), it decrypts the email with the public
key for the digital certificate (5-3) of the sender's email server
(2), then determines that the email is sent from the registered
email server (2) if the decryption is successful, and then promptly
stores the decrypted email (4) into the recipient's email box.
Otherwise, the emails sent from other email servers are stored in
the junk mail box. Since the mails are classified, a staff person
of the company may check the emails (4) in the main mail box where
the mails are typically received and check the mails in the junk
mail box if time allows. In this way, the chance for the user to
delete some important emails (4) when dismissing these junk mails
in haste is greatly reduced.
[0043] The embodiment in FIG. 4 includes the following C steps:
[0044] C1. When a sender in company A sends an email (4) to a
recipient in company B, the email (4) is forwarded to the sending
server (2-1) via a user terminal (3);
[0045] C2. the sending server (2-1) encrypts the email (4) with the
private key for the digital certificate (5-3) of company A, then
forwards the encrypted email to the receiving server (2-2);
[0046] C3. the receiving server (2-2) decrypts the received
encrypted email with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-3) of company A, then determines that the email is forwarded
from the sending server (2-1) of company A if the decryption is
successful, and then promptly stores the decrypted email (4) into
the email box of the recipient in company B, where the recipient
can check the email (4) via internet.
[0047] An improvement to the embodiment of FIG. 3 may include the
introduction of a charge mechanism of the sender paying to the
recipient, namely the step B5. In this case, the sender pays a
certain sum of money to the recipient for every email (4) he/she
sends, and the exchange center (1) charges the money from the
company at the sending server (2-1) on a monthly settlement basis.
The exchange center (1) deposits the money, from which a service
charge has been deducted, into a bank account of the company at the
recipient server (2-2). Then the company at the sending server
(2-1) charges relevant money from the sender, while the company at
the recipient server (2-2) returns relevant money to the
recipient.
[0048] As an example, the exchange center (1) registers the bank
account number of respective email server (2), which also signs a
contract with the exchange center (1) at the same time agreeing
that the emails (4) are charged on quantity basis. The company
associated with the email server (2) has to pay a certain sum of
money for each mail it sends to other email servers (2) through the
exchange center (1). That is, the sender's email server (2), the
sending server (2-1), pays to the recipient's email server (2), the
receiving server (2-2). The fee for sending and receiving emails
(4) may be settled promptly, namely, the money for the fee is
transferred promptly from the bank account of the sending server
(2-1) to the bank account of the receiving server (2-2) at the time
the email (4) is sent. Alternatively, the fee for sending and
receiving emails (4) may be settled regularly, such as daily,
weekly, or monthly. The amount of money to be charged from and
money to be collected by respective email servers (2) is calculated
during the settlement, and then the exchange center (1) pays or
deposits the money with transfers between the bank accounts of the
email servers via a payment gateway (7). The exchange center (1)
takes out a service charge either at certain rate or of fixed
amount from the money charged for sending and receiving emails (4).
Since the common personal email (4) communication and the email (4)
communication in business between companies are usually mutual
communications, that is to say, both the sender and recipient pay
for each other, and the money paid and the money received would not
be substantially different, the user would usually not pay too much
money.
[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates a diagram of the steps of an example
charge mechanism and includes the following D steps:
[0050] D1. When a sender sends email (4) to a recipient, the email
(4) is forwarded to the sending server (2-1) via a user terminal
(3);
[0051] D2. the sending server (2-1) encrypts this email (4) with
the private key for its own digital certificate (5-2), then
forwards the encrypted email to the exchange center (1), and then
records this count of debt into the sender's account book;
[0052] D3. the exchange center (1) decrypts the received encrypted
email with the public key for the digital certificate (5-2) of the
sending server (2-1), determines that the email is sent from the
sending server (2-1) if the decryption is successful, records this
count of debt for sending this email into the account book of the
sending server (2-1), then encrypts the decrypted email (4) with
the private key for the digital certificate (5-1) of the exchange
center (1) and forwards the encrypted email to the receiving server
(2-2), and records the income for receiving this email into the
account book of the receiving server (2-2);
[0053] D4. the receiving server (2-2) decrypts the received
encrypted email with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1), determines that the email is
forwarded from the exchange center (1) if the decryption is
successful, then stores the decrypted email (4) into the
recipient's email box promptly for the recipient to check, and
records the income for receiving this mail into the recipient's
account book;
[0054] D5. during settlement, the exchange center (1), based on
account book of the respective email server (2-1 or 2-2),
calculates the money to be paid or the money to be received by the
email servers (2-1 and 2-2) with the service charge deducted, then
charges or deposits the money via transfer between the bank
accounts of the email servers (2-1 and 2-2) through the payment
gateway (7) and the bank account computer system (8), and the
respective email servers (2), the sender email server (2-1) and the
recipient email server (2-2) charge the money from or return the
money to the accounts of their own users.
[0055] FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram showing another embodiment of a
charge mechanism, with the establishment of exchange centers (1) at
different regions. In this example, the Figure only shows the
exchange centers (1) at two regions X and Y. Every exchange center
(1) is in charge of exchanging emails (4) and clearing settlements
or the like for the local email servers (2). When an email (4) is
forwarded from region X to region Y, it is forwarded to the
recipient's email box at the receiving server (2-2) through the
sender's sending server (2-1), the exchange center (1) at region X,
and the exchange center (1) at region Y. At the time of settlement,
the exchange centers (1) at the two regions clear the settlement
based on the quantity of emails (4) received and sent, then make
transfers through the payment gateway (7) and the bank account
computer system (8). Once the exchange centers (1) are established
all over the world, all normal emails (4) would be forwarded to the
recipient's email box through the exchange centers (1). In this
way, the user is immune to the junk mails once the user forwards
emails (4) through the email servers (2) registered at the exchange
centers (1). Because the junk mails are usually sent one-way to
recipients from the email-spammer, the cost of sending junk email
is considerable if sent through the exchange center (1), which
would become an unbearable burden to the email-spammer. If the junk
mails are sent through other servers, these mails are disposed of
by the recipient's email server (2) or stored into the recipient's
junk mail box. Since normal emails (4) are stored into the
recipient's email box, fewer people would check the junk mail box
such that the email-spammer cannot convey the information within
the junk mails to the recipients. As a result, few people will send
junk mails with the systems disclosed herein. Charging a fee to the
email sender is the best way to prevent junk mails, and
furthermore, the exchange center (1) could donate all the money,
from which its cost has been deducted, collected from the email
senders to charity organizations. For example, the money may be
donated to the charity voluntary organizations such as Doctors
Without Borders and the ORBIS Sight Hospital to help those in need,
which most email users surely will not object. Moreover, such
donations may also be helpful in popularizing the systems disclosed
herein.
[0056] Local governments may also tax the email senders through the
exchange center (1), which would also increase the government's
revenue. Since the objects to be taxed are only the email senders,
it will neither lay burden to the citizens, nor bring effects on
the local economy and may be a good way to increase the
government's revenue.
[0057] FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram showing the an embodiment
including an email charge inquiry website (9). This embodiment
employs a mechanism of adding a self-defined donation into the
fixed charge. The self-defined donation charge is a donation level
set by an email address owner. The email charge inquiry website (9)
provides information related to the donation charge for the email
addresses at the email servers (2) all over the world, and the
self-defined donation charge for an email address can be found
through logging onto the email charge inquiry web site (9) and
inputting the email address. The respective email server (2)
classifies its email users into two groups. One group is classified
as common email users, to whom the emails can be successfully sent
with a payment of the fixed charge. The other group is classified
as email users with the self-defined donation charge. If a person
wants to send emails (4) to the email boxes of this second group,
the person has to pay not only the fixed charge but also the
donation charge defined by the recipient. The email server (2) also
stores information, such as the email address of the email user
with self-defined donation charge and the amount of money for the
donation charge, into the email charge inquiry website (9), and the
email address owners can change the amount of money for the
self-defined donation charge at will by sending email to the email
charge inquiry website. The email user may change the self-defined
donation charge by sending an email (4) to the email charge inquiry
website (9) through the sender email server (2-1). The content in
the email may include the new amount of money for the self-defined
donation charge. If an email user wants to receive fewer emails
(4), the user may set a much higher amount of money for the
self-defined donation charge, for example. If the chairman of the
board of a company set 100 U.S. dollars as the self-defined
donation charge for his/her own email address, then only those who
are willing to donate 100 U.S. dollars can successfully send an
email (4) to the email box of the chairman of the board. The
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 may include the following E
steps:
[0058] E1. Before sending an email (4) to the recipient, the sender
logs on the email charge inquiry website (9) and inputs the
recipient's email address. Then the sender views the amount of
money for the self-defined donation charge set by the
recipient;
[0059] E2. if the sender accepts the amount of money for the
self-defined donation charge, the sender forwards the email (4) to
the sending server (2-1) via a user terminal (3);
[0060] E3. the sending server (2-1) encrypts the email (4) with the
private key for its own digital certificate (5-2), then forwards
the encrypted email (4) to the exchange center (1) and records this
count of debt into the sender's account book;
[0061] E4. the exchange center (1) decrypts the received email (4)
with the public key for the digital certificates (5-2) of the
sending server (2-1), determines that the email is forwarded from
the sending server (2-1) if the decryption is successful, promptly
records this count of debt into the account book of the sending
server (2-1), then encrypts this email (4) with the private key for
its own digital certificate (5-1), and then records this count of
income into the account book of the receiving server (2-2);
[0062] E5. the receiving server (2-2) decrypts the received
encrypted email with the public key for the digital certificate
(5-1) of the exchange center (1), determines that the email is
forwarded from the exchange center (1) if the decryption is
successful, then promptly records this count of income into the
recipient's account book, and the receiving server (2-2) verifies
whether the recipient's email address is a common one or one with
self-defined donation charge, and if this recipient is a common
email user, the receiving server (2-2) promptly stores the
decrypted email (4) into the recipient's email box, ignores steps
E6-E14, and skips to step E15, while if the recipient is an email
user with self-defined donation charge, then the receiving server
(2-2) temporarily stores the email (4) and proceeds to step E6;
[0063] E6. the receiving server (2-2) sends to the exchange center
(1) a request for paying the self-defined donation charge, where
the request may include the email sender's email address, the
recipient's email address, title, date and time of that email,
etc.;
[0064] E7. after receiving the request for paying the self-defined
donation charge, the exchange center (1) searches out the
recipient's email address from the request, then promptly checks
the amount of money for the donation charged for the email address
on the email inquiry charge website (9);
[0065] E8. the email inquiry charge website (9) searches out
information about the amount of money for the donation charged for
the email address from the records it keeps, then promptly forwards
to the exchange center (1) the information about the amount of
money for the donation;
[0066] E9. the exchange center (1) promptly temporarily stores the
information about the amount of money for the donation charge,
replies to the sender with an email encrypted with the private key
for its own digital certificate (5-1), where this email includes
the relevant donation charge and a donation reference code and to
remind the sender to pay the relevant donation charge on-line via
logging on the website of the exchange center (1) within a
designated time limit (such as a week), the donation reference code
is a number for distinguishing different entails (4) when receiving
the donation;
[0067] E10. the sender's email server (2) decrypts the reply email
with the public key for the digital key (5-1) of the exchange
center (1), determines that the email (4) is sent from the exchange
center (1) if the decryption is successful, and this email is
stored into the sender's email box;
[0068] E11. when checking the email box, the sender reads the
content of the reply email, and if the sender agrees to make a
donation, the sender may, within the designated time limit, log on
the website of the exchange center (1), and input the sender's own
email address and payment reference code, the sender finds out on
the website of the exchange center (1) the recipient's email
address for the email (4) sent to the sending server (2-1)
described in preceding step E2 and after checking the information,
the sender inputs the payment information, including information
such as credit card number, valid date of the credit card or the
debit card and password which is essential for on-line payment, on
the payment webpage of the exchange center (1);
[0069] E12. the exchange center (1) forwards through the payment
gateway (7) the payment information and the total amount of money
to the bank account computer system (8) and requests for transfer
of the money;
[0070] E13. the bank account computer system (8) verifies the
payment information and account balance, etc., and if all
information is valid, then transfers the money from the user's
account provided in the payment information to the bank account of
the exchange center (1), and then informs the exchange center (1)
that the transfer is successful;
[0071] E14. the exchange center (1) forwards to the receiving
server (2-2) the received information about successful transfer for
the payment, then the receiving server (2-2) stores the decrypted
email (4), which has been temporarily stored at step E5, into the
recipient's email box for the recipient to check;
[0072] E15. during the settlement, the exchange center (1), based
on record of receiving and sending emails at fixed charge for the
respective email server (2), calculates the money to be paid or the
money to be received by the email servers (2) with deduction of the
service charge from the respective account, then charges or
deposits the money with transfer between the bank accounts of the
email servers (2) through the payment gateway (7) and the bank
account computer system (8), and the respective email servers (2),
the sending server (2-1) and the receiving server (2-2), charge the
money from or return the money to the accounts of their own users,
the exchange center (1) may donate all the money collected at step
E13 with the service charged deducted to a charity
organization.
[0073] In this embodiment, the exchange center (1) may donate all
money collected through the donations, less the service charge
deducted, to local charity organizations. The email charge inquiry
website (9) may build a webpage including a rank list showing the
amount of donation each email address collects, and people can,
through logging on this webpage, find out the email address and
person which collects the largest amount of donation. The system
and method described in this embodiment is not only able to prevent
junk mails, but also able to reduce the amount of emails of less
importance. If a high amount for the self-defined donation charge
is set, any the emails (4) received may be deemed to be of great
importance. As a result, the systems and method prevents junk mails
and benefits charity.
[0074] FIG. 8 illustrates steps of a fee-charged embodiment that
differs from aforesaid embodiments but not including the exchange
center (1) or the email charge inquiry website (9). This embodiment
may be suitable for email users such as celebrities and the
officials of multinational companies. Most celebrities and senior
executives in business organizations are apprehensive about making
their email addresses known to the public, since their email boxes
would be inundated with junk mails that may reduce the utility of
using email. Consequently, most of these people would like to keep
their email addresses secret and for internal use only, which is
thus not available for other people. Although these people are
celebrities in society, it is still difficult for ordinary people
to send emails (4) to them. A website for a fee-charged email
server (22) may be established, where every celebrity is assigned
an email box and an email address which is open to the public.
Those who want to send emails (4) to these celebrities firstly have
to log onto the website of the fee-charged email server (22) and
pay a certain amount of fee such as 1,000 dollars, so that they can
send emails (4) to those celebrities, while all the money collected
by the fee-charged email server (22) with the service charge
deducted would may be donated to a charity organization. Since the
email sender sends the celebrity an email (4) by making a donation,
the celebrity may read the content in the email (4) carefully and
reply to the kindhearted donator, which is beneficial to both the
celebrities and society. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 may
include the following F steps:
[0075] F1. Before sending an email (4) to a celebrity, the sender
firstly has to open an account at the website of the fee-charged
email server (22) and buy points, then the sender inputs the value
of points to be bought and payment information such as the sender's
credit card number, for example, 1 dollar equals to 1 point, thus
the sender has to pay 1,000 for 1,000 points;
[0076] F2. the fee-charged email server (22) forwards to the bank
card center (88) the sender's payment information, such as the
credit card number and the amount of money to be transferred for
the payment;
[0077] F3. after verifying that the payment information and the
account balance are valid, the bank card center (88) transfers
money from the sender's credit card account to the account of the
fee-charged email server (22), then informs the fee-charged email
server (22) that the transfer is successful;
[0078] F4. the fee-charged email server (22) informs the sender
that application for an account is accepted, and the money for
buying points has been charged from the credit card account;
[0079] F5. the sender searches the celebrity's email address from
the website of the fee-charged email server (22) and checks the fee
in points for obtaining an authorization code that will be needed
for sending an email (4) to the celebrity, for example, the
authorization code for sending an email to Bill Gates of the
Microsoft may cost 500 points, and the sender may buy the
authorization code with the points on the website;
[0080] F6. after verifying that the sender's point account is
valid, the fee-charged email server (22) deducts the points needed
for the authorization code from the sender's account, then forwards
the sender a random authorization code which is unique, the sender
copies this authorization code into the title of the email (4)
within the designated time limit (such as a week), then sends the
email (4) to the selected celebrity Bill Gates' email address at
the fee-charged email server (22);
[0081] F7. within the designated time limit, the sender writes an
email (4) entitled with the authorization code and sends it to the
selected celebrity Bill Gates' email address at the fee-charged
email server (22), and after receiving the email (4), the charged
email server (22) compares the authorization code within the title
of the email (4) with the authorization code issued in step F6, and
if the two codes are consistent, stores the email (4) into the
email box of the selected celebrity Bill Gates, and then deletes
records of this authorization code, if there is no authorization
code corresponding to the recipient within the title of the email
received by the fee-charged email server (22), the fee-charged
email server (22) disposes of this email and informs the sender by
email that the sender must buy an authorization code in order to
send the email (4) successfully;
[0082] F8. the celebrity Bill Gates logs on the fee-charged email
server (22) to check the email (4);
[0083] F9. the fee-charged email server (22) forwards the email (4)
sent from the sender to the celebrity Bill Gates to check.
[0084] Implementation of the disclosed examples would reduce the
spamming of junk mails and reduce loss in productivity due to junk
mails. In some examples, the email communication through all the
email servers (2) and exchange centers (1) are authenticated with
PKI digital certificate technology. Once the email server (2) is
authorized, the emails (4) of all the users at this email server
(2) would be authenticated. Thus, this approach would popularize
the PKI digital certificate technology more effectively compared
with the traditional approach of authenticating the user
individually, since most users of the traditional approach do not
understand thoroughly its installation and usage steps and even
often make mistakes, thus they cannot make good use of the digital
certificate. In some examples, the emails are authenticated by the
email servers (2), and the users can send and receive emails (4) as
usual without any setup. Thus, the PKI digital certificate
technology is applied effectively and is also suitable for most
users. As to any requirements for a digital signature and
confidence, the sender can sign and encrypt the email (4), then
send the email to the recipient through the exemplary system and
method, and then the recipient decrypts this email and verifies the
digital signature, which is safer and more trustworthy.
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